The present invention relates generally to novelty items for animals, and more particularly to edible greeting cards and other treats for pets.
Many families have pets which are increasingly treated as members of the family. Many pet owners enjoy including their beloved pets in holiday festivities such as birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Valentine""s Day, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. As greeting cards are traditionally given to loved ones on such holidays, many pet owners give greeting cards to their pets or send greeting cards from themselves or their pets to the pets of relatives and close friends.
A variety of patents disclose greeting cards which include gifts or where the card itself may be construed as a gift. U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,516 to Stonoga et al. discloses a novelty greeting card wherein a dog biscuit is contained within a non-edible greeting card particularly configured to hold the dog biscuit. The greeting card disclosed by Stonoga et al. requires the pet owner to remove the pet treat from its protective pocket within the non-edible greeting card prior to ingestion by the pet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,365 to Stuart discloses a greeting card assembly having a removable insert containing a message. The message insert, once removed from the greeting card, may be kept as an ornament such as a Christmas tree ornament or other similar decorative item.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,047 to Hess discloses a novelty greeting card comprising a substantially three-dimensional caricature which is collapsible onto a base sheet. The caricature is inflated by blowing air into the caricature through a hole in the base sheet, thus providing a three-dimensional gift in a substantially flat greeting card.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,496 to Davidson et al. discloses a combination greeting card and gift pouch. A single sheet is tri-folded into a closed pouch, with adhesive provided along the margins of the sheet, thereby enabling the pouch to be sealed and mailed as a greeting card.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,527 to Acosta et al. discloses a card having a pivotable rear panel whereby a photograph or other picture may be placed within the card to attractively mount the photo or picture.
Several U.S. patents disclose items which are ingestible by animals, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,758 to Fruthaler et al., which discloses shaped, flavored articles which are attractive to masticating animals and have the texture, appearance and aroma of natural food materials. U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,916 to Skoch discloses an animal feed supplement in block form. U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,058 to Chandler discloses a composite animal food having a crunchy shell surrounding a deformable core of edible protein and water soluble solids.
Despite these items and associated available products, the need nevertheless remains for edible greeting cards and other treats for animals, including domesticated animals and pets.
The present invention is broadly directed to greeting cards and other items to be enjoyed by animals and pets, including products that are suitable for chewing and/or ingestion. In each case, the article combines an article composed of a non-toxic material which is typically chewable or fully consumable and digestible, in conjunction with a greeting that may include a graphical image (i.e., of an animal, pet, and/or pet owner), a textual message, or both.
For example, according to a first preferred embodiment, an edible greeting card suitable for ingestion by a pet such as a horse, dog, cat, rabbit or bird assumes the form of a panel having a thickness, a perimeter, and front and back surfaces. At least one message is provided on one or both of the front and back surfaces using and edible colorant or other medium.
In embodiments utilizing two or more such panels, edible joining means are provided so that one edible panel may be joined to another edible panel, creating a joined structure which may stand upright on a horizontal surface. In this embodiment of the invention, a flexible rawhide strip is threaded through holes placed proximate to the perimeter of the edible panels. Alternate configurations may utilize an edible adhesive or flexible edible hinge. Other embodiments may be constructed of a single member having an indented, perforated or thinner hinge area positioned between two panel areas so that the single member may be folded alone, the flexible hinge.
In alternate embodiments, the greeting item may be suspended from a cage rail by a hook, wire or placed in a holder. This permits convenient positioning within a cage or stall, by mechanisms such as a clip having its free ends embedded in the panel, or a hook constructed of the edible materials which comprise the panel and which is formed integrally with the panel. Alternatively, a holder may be attached to the side of the cage or stall and the greeting card placed within the holder, the card resting on its supporting section.